Craig Reptile: Your Sunday Sonic Sundowner writesWhy I Volunteer: Craig Bechtel

After years of wandering in the radio wilderness, I have found a home. Like a lot of my colleagues, I was a college radio person, and dabbled in professional radio too. But after college, I went in a different professional direction. A friend from the Chicago Indie Rock Fans Meetup Group introduced me to CHIRP at a fundraiser a few years back. I got involved because I loved the concept of Low Power FM radio stations and what they could offer to Chicago, and loved the idea of sharing my love of music with listeners. CHIRP cares about Chicago, playing great music whether it’s new or old, local or international. Non-profit, community based and operated by a volunteer staff, no other radio organization does it better, and no one else is as passionate as CHIRP.

CHIRP was instrumental in getting the Local Community Radio Act passed. The software CHIRP created to run the station online and our website are both state of the art, so much so that other stations and aspiring community broadcasters look to us for ideas and solutions. And if that weren’t enough, CHIRP was voted "best overall radio station" by the Reader and Chicago magazine. There’s no question that CHIRP Radio online has been a great success, and we will continue that effort, but our overall goal is to finally obtain a broadcast signal, and we need your help to get there. Please visit www.chirpradio.org/donatenow and make a contribution today. Thanks! -- Craig Bechtel (Volunteer)

'O Celestial Golfball That Rules The Night... writesWhy I Volunteer: Dave Staples

I’m Dave Staples, CHIRP volunteer & DJ and I love being involved with CHIRP. I originally came for the music. For me, it’s all about discovering & sharing new artists. Being a loyal listener satisfies the former, and being a dedicated DJ satisfies the latter. CHIRP is a refreshing and consistently reliable (compared to non-commercial stations that switch formats from hour to hour) substitute for the standard FM stations that seem hopelessly redundant and frustratingly limited. These dinosaurs of FM play good songs, but they play the same ones over and over and over ad nauseum. This is common knowledge of course, but the point I’m trying to make is that being involved with CHIRP means that I’m part of the antidote, and I couldn’t possibly be more proud of that.

This is why I became a DJ. I’m compelled by the same drive that I’ve always had when I come across a new band or artist that captures my attention. My first reaction is to think “which of my friends would appreciate this album? Who can I share this with?” That’s what it boils down to at the core. Let’s ask that question again; Who can I share this with? Nowadays the answer is anyone. All you have to do is tune in.

Having a chance to share fascinating and awesome music for three hours per week scratches an itch that I’ve had for half my life. (and don’t get me started about all the like-minded friends I’ve made since joining!) -- Dave Staples (Volunteer)